HFL Regular Season Report Cards: Grading Each Team Based on Expectations vs Performance

Levente Szeifert
Jun 27
4 min read

The HFL regular season has officially wrapped up, and what a ride it’s been. From stunning upsets to dominant runs, teams rising and others faltering, blockbuster signings, drama on and off the field and surprise stories, this season had it all. With a short break before playoff action kicks off, now’s the perfect time to look back at our pre-season power rankings and measure just how each team lived up to - or fell - short of expectations.

Győr Sharks – A+ (6-0)

The rebuilding Sharks looked promising early on, though I wouldn’t have guessed this would be their year just yet. It only took a couple of games to realize they were for real — dominating from the very beginning and ultimately finishing the regular season undefeated. Even losing their import QB and bringing in a new one mid-season didn’t slow them down. This roster is stacked with young Hungarian talent, quality European imports, and well-integrated American players. Everyone’s playing their role to near perfection. From being overlooked before the season to now looking like clear favorites, the Sharks are absolutely legit.

Budapest Cowbells – A (5-1)

The Cowbells came in and delivered what was expected of them early on, only losing to the Sharks in the very last game of the season — a match with nothing at stake and none of their starters even taking the field.

Other than that, the Cowbells played physically, with discipline, and with their hearts fully in it. With a 5-1 record, they’re entering the playoffs with plenty of gunpowder left in their pockets. Now they’re waiting for the Bulldogs to visit them on the 29th — a clash that will decide who gets to play in the Hungarian Bowl.

Újpest Bulldogs – A− (4-2)

The Bulldogs showed a lot of promise before the season and they managed to live up to it many times during the season. It may not have been as dominant a performance as the Cowbells or the Sharks, but a solid 4-2 record leaves no doubt that the team deserves a spot in the playoffs.

The young corps stepped up to fill the holes left by the many departing players, and the team signed several high-performing European imports to further support them. In fact, the Bulldogs are the only playoff team with a Hungarian QB. Young talent Lóránd Emhő has taken a lot of criticism from me for his lackluster play, but towards the end of the season, he’s been reaching the level I’ve been looking for from him. With a strong finish to the regular season, I’m excited to see where the Bulldogs’ story leads them next.

Budapest Wolves – B+ (2-4)

We talked about teams losing key personnel in the offseason and the Wolves were a prime example of that. They lost the majority of last year’s starters on the offensive line, several club legends retired, and even the head coach stepped down, with a 25-year-old taking over the role. The team’s corps was essentially made up of the organization’s U19 squad, with young Hungarian QB Dancsó lining up under center.

On top of all that, they didn’t bring in any import players – there were 11 Hungarians on the field every snap. Yet, they still managed to win two games and played with confidence all season. They were always present, always competitive, and made sure opposing teams had to fight hard for every win.They played with heart and played for each other and that clearly showed on the field. They’re still far from being contenders, but with many of their players not even 20 years old yet, they’ve got time to rebuild. They far exceeded my expectations this year.

Diósd Saints – C (3-3)

Probably the most anticipated team coming into the season, the Saints ended up delivering the least compared to what we expected from them. As an HFL rookie team, they signed major names to bolster their roster. With the highest budget in the league by far, it was fair to assume they had the best chance to win the championship.

Early in the season, it looked like they might live up to the hype, but as soon as they faced stronger opponents, their wings quickly got clipped. Finishing with a 3-3 record and barely making the playoffs says a lot about their struggles.

However, towards the end, with coaching changes and new signings, it seemed they were slowly finding their voice again. They remain a team capable of causing surprises, and I still see them making — perhaps even winning — the Hungarian Bowl. That said, their regular season was far from the smooth ride we anticipated.

Budapest Titans – C- (1-5)

Although I may have rated the Titans too highly in the pre-season, I still don’t think they should have performed this poorly. There has to be more in the tank for the defending champions than winning just one game. All of last year’s stars left this season, and unfortunately, the Titans struggled to replace those departing players. While signing RB Novakov was a huge boost for their offense, the import players couldn’t make as big an impact as last year’s, which partly explains why the team scored one of the fewest points in the league and managed only a single win (vs the winless Rangers).

The defense wasn’t too bad but was missing that “X factor” that was almost necessary this year in the HFL.

VSD Rangers – F (0-6)

I didn’t have high expectations for the Rangers given the team’s history, but since they signed some import players, I thought maybe this year would be different. Unfortunately, the numbers tell a different story — they scored just 19 points while allowing 214. Ouch.

The fun is just getting started – the playoffs kick off on the 28th, and that’s when the real battles begin! With high stakes on the line, expect intense, passionate football as teams fight for the ultimate prize: the Hungarian Bowl crown. Whether it’s the Sharks aiming to cement their dominance, the Bulldogs and Cowbells battling for supremacy, or the Saints eager to clear their name after a rocky regular season, the postseason promises drama and excitement. Get ready — the best is yet to come!